Omaha daily bee., 1887-12-05
A Thrilling Experience.

''Do you see that young man standing at
the ticket window!' remarked II commercial
traveller to BEE reporter at tho Union Pa
cific depot Thursday evening "That is
Charley Dow, a drummer for a Philadelphia
dry goods house. He had the most thrilling
experience about four years ago that ever fell
to the lot of mankind. Why, that fellow mar
rowly escaped being buried alive. Como
over and he will tell you about IT," The re-
porter and his companion crossed the waiting
room and the later approaching the ticket
purchaser exclaimed: ''Charlcy, old boy, s it
down and tell the BEE about that little cpl
sode of yours" "What do means, asked
Charley, "about that Lincoln girl of minc."
"NO," said the other in a tone Of disgust. II
mean the time you came so near being
planted" "Oh, ycs,n said the Quaker City
man. "Wcll, rs we have about ten or fifteen
minutes before the train leaves ! guess will
have time. l was in Denver when the event
began to take place. You see it was of four
or five days duration. l had been working
Colorado and Wyoming quite successfully and
had nearly completed my circuit when l was
taken sick. Ipullcd for Denver, registered
at the Tabor house, went TO my room and sent
for II physician. When he arrived he said
was a mighty sick man and advised me to re-
| main pretty quiet for time. He needn't
| have told me that for the next morning
could not have moved if / had wanted to.
"
| and for three days suffered all the misery
| that human could endure in that space Of
| time AT the end of the third day went to
sleep, or thought did, and when regained
| consciousness L found myself lying on my
back on something i afterward
learned that it was. an under
takers cooling board-with my hands
| crossed over my breast my jaw propped up
eyclids and damp cloth over my face.
| Thinks /, what confounded foolishness is all
| this, and with that tried to move my hand
and take the cloth off my face in order that
| might see where | was. but to my aStOnish-
ment the hand refused to stir. Then tried
to roll over but could not move muscle.
| Well, thought 1, at any rate will cry out for
| help, but my usually loose tongue refused to
wag. About this time heard door open
| and some three or four men come in and
| heard them sit something down that sounded
| like big box. Then one of them took the
things off my face and l heard the we'll
known voice of the clerk say what pity
such young, good looking man should pass
in so suddenly Yes said another, it is too
bad, but lets. get him in the coffin, its
only two hours till train time. Then | knew
what was up. l was supposed to be dead
and gentlemen, you cannot imagine what my
feelings were, l thought all sorts of things.
While they were putting me in the coffin
heard the clerk tell another fellow to be sure
and see that the box was properly marked to
| No. 1871 Arch street, Philadelphia ana then
| i
| graph of my ostcnsible demise, and had
ordered my remains home. Then tried tc
| kick and made an effort to shout, but i,
| wouldn't work. They put me in the coffin
screwed down held and then put the cofiir
| in the case. fastened it and carried me down
stairs, loaded me in an express wagon anc
| took me to the depot While l. or my DO,
rather was sitting on the platform waiting
| for the train, not less than dozen people
read the tag on the box. One OF then
q young woman, should Judge by her voice
said to her companion poor fellow, wonder
if he was married and whether he was pret
ty," and other remarks like that Then they
loaded me in an express car and of whirlel
, toward home. During the four days tim,
that was ON the road retained conscious
ness although l was in what physicians
would term comatose condition
That is, 1 suppose 1 was. wa
handled pretty roughly several times by thu
| baggage men when had to be transferred
| but soon became used to IL. During my rid
! wondered what the folks would say an,
; whore they would bury me and whether
would die after was planted and what thu
sensations would be. MY thoughts were any
| thing but pleasant, ] assure you, and If ha'
, been capable of so doing don't doubt tina
: would have shivered in my grave clothes
and ms was ln taRsn sns into arrasa the papIo nE%
and really didn't know what popular ant
, model youth was until that time. Father
mother and my two sisters cried over me an
/ all my friends and relatives stood around m
walnut case and put their hands on my fore
, bead and say, Poor Charlie, it doesn't seer
as though he could be dead, Amt it a pity
'Oh my oh N.Y. and such expressions.
l tried to speak and tell them l wasn't deai
) but it was no go, and l laid there all nigh
and heard my virtues extolled and my charit;